What's the dumbest thing a non-musician has ever said to you?

[gregmon79]

Or could it possibly be that your store is an exception?
I dont think that reputation would exist if there werent many people who've had bad experiences in their own GCs.
Ive run into both good and bad customer service reps at a few different Guitar Centers, but certainly more bad than good.

IMO, this is a big thing with GC. I have been to one GC in a certain area and just about, almost, every employee knew their respective s**t. Then there's the GC's by my home and around it that have employees, most of them, some know what's up, in that have absolutely no clue what they are doing. It's a nice thought to have that every GC I walk into will have very reliable and knowledgable people in it, but the odds just don't seem to be in GC's favor as far as know how goes in most of the stores in their chain I've been into. My experience anyway. And I've visited a lot of different GC's.

 

[rubendlr]

There was this free newspaper in the town I grew up in where people sold stuff. Nothing but ads, like a 20th century Craigslist. Anyway, the little old lady who took down the ads over the phone always mispelled bass as "base" guitar. Every damned single time like for 20 years.

 

[MovingPitchers]

"why don't you play piano or violin? You're Asian!"

Gawd, the racism is insane.

 

[MovingPitchers]

Or could it possibly be that your store is an exception?
I dont think that reputation would exist if there werent many people who've had bad experiences in their own GCs.
Ive run into both good and bad customer service reps at a few different Guitar Centers, but certainly more bad than good.

Why don't guitar guys direct them to the drum guys, drum guys to the pro audio guys, etc., etc? In Canada, they do that. They tell us " OH that's not my FOE; I'll direct you to so-and-so in so-and-so section over there. he/she will help you."

Why risk losing a customer because someone was too frigging lazy to redirect the potential customer to the right expert?

 

[BassGuyFL]

+1

The reputation we GC guys get for not knowing our stuff and being ineffective is *nearly* completely unfounded. All of my coworkers and I are consistently the best musicians in the store at any given moment, and can give a customer more info than they ever asked for in our respective fields of expertise. The problem usually comes from a customer asking a drums guy about the right mixer, or a guitar guy which cymbals he should buy, or God forbid, asking a pro audio guy about pedals and effects.

Slightly OT I worked at Home Depot for a couple of years and encountered that a lot. People would be mad because the paint guy didn't know lumber or the plumbing guy didn't know plants.

One person actually said that we should know about everything in the entire store. I said well that would take many years to learn and no way could they pay me enough to be an expert in everything.

 

[repoman]

I have been playing with one particular drummer, in various bands for over twenty years.

There has not been one gig during all that time, when I have not helped him lug his kit.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with helping fellow band mates lug their gear OR being asked to do so...It's called 'being in a band'

Joke
-------->
Head

 

[Helaskold]

Why don't guitar guys direct them to the drum guys, drum guys to the pro audio guys, etc., etc? In Canada, they do that. They tell us " OH that's not my FOE; I'll direct you to so-and-so in so-and-so section over there. he/she will help you."

Why risk losing a customer because someone was too frigging lazy to redirect the potential customer to the right expert?

Funny that you say that; I just handed an amp sale over to a guitar guy because I moved to the drum department a few months ago. It's the standard policy around here and at every GC I know of. If someone tries to sell out of other departments (extenuating circumstances notwithstanding), they don't keep their job very long. I am curious as to where these terrible locations are because everyone at MY store knows their stuff.

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

"why don't you play piano or violin? You're Asian!"

Gawd, the racism is insane.

That's not racism. That is racial stereotyping: two different things

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

Joke
-------->
Head

Given the title of the thread? I don't think so...

 

[MovingPitchers]

That's not racism. That is racial stereotyping: two different things

Oh no it was. He said dirtier stuff afterwards but I'm complying with TB policies to keep this forum clean and not full of bad words. Yeah ironic thing was he was in a place where Asians dominate. Poor guy.

 

[repoman]

Given the title of the thread? I don't think so...

The "joke" is a drummer isn't a musician (which I don't agree with, but...) the whole helping him with his equipment part isn't even relevant to the "joke".
man, talk about a buzz kill...

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

The "joke" is a drummer isn't a musician (which I don't agree with, but...) the whole helping him with his equipment part isn't even relevant to the "joke".
man, talk about a buzz kill...

Apologies for not getting the joke...I guess I must have been thinking on a different plane.

I'm usually pretty quick on the up-take, just not this time

 

[Thorsoundcore]

You guys must have never heard the joke...What do you call the guy that hangs around with musicians? A drummer...

The thread is what's the dumbest thing a non-musician has said to you, so...

Huh.. never heard that variation of the joke. Every time I've seen it, bassist/bass player has been in place of "drummer".

 

[Lesfunk]

You guys must have never heard the joke...What do you call the guy that hangs around with musicians? A drummer...

The thread is what's the dumbest thing a non-musician has said to you, so...

thanks for understanding.... Maybe it should be "Do you use flats or rounds on your P bass?"

 

[karl_em_all]

Venom once topped 140 decibels, I think they were loudest in the world for a little while.

Motorhead held the record for a while too.

 

[karl_em_all]

Bassists sure are their own worst enemies. I like the stories that go "this chick walked up to me after a show and was all like 'hey nice guitar mister' so I schooled her on the merits of tonewoods and Audere preamps to make sure she never mistook my 6-string bass for a guitar again".

Guess what? She was hitting on you. She was initiating a conversation. On the simple rainman level you understand she was trying to start a gear conversation, but on a deeper level she was striking up a conversation because she liked your music, liked your stage presence and wanted to know you as a person. I wonder collectively how many non-starter relationships have been caused by bassists on TB.

yes hahaha